Media Roundup of Human Rights Watch Publishes Report on Wal-Mart

As has been widely reported, yesterday Human Rights Watch published a study on Wal-Mart and how they treat their employees, specifically focusing on the company’s efforts to curtain efforts by employees to unionize. The New York Times noted how for Human Rights Watch, which is known for focusing on human rights violations in foreign countries, this is their first study to analyze the way in which an American company treats its workers. Human Rights Watch mentioned, as paraphrased in the Washington Post, that “the report is the first comprehensive look at the retailer’s anti-union operations...though much information had previously been reported.”

Looking at the logistics of the report, the Associated Press wire story posted by MSNBC states that 210-page report makes mention of Wal-Mart using an “arsenal of sophisticated tactics” - some of which Human Rights Watch says are illegal - to keep a lid on attempts at union organizing, thus “creating a climate of fear for its 1.3 million U.S. workers.” Reuters cites Carol Pier, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, “Wal-Mart workers have virtually no chance to organize because they’re up against unfair U.S. labor laws and a giant company that will do just about anything to keep unions out.”

As for financial publications, both BusinessWeek and Financial Times have stories on the report. BusinessWeek mentions that “This is only the second time in the organization’s 29-year history that it has issued a book-size report on a corporation. The first one was on Enron in 1999.”

In regards to Wal-Mart’s response, various articles note the company as saying “Contrary to the allegations in this report, Wal-Mart respects our associates’ right to a free and fair unionization vote through a private, government-supervised process and we remain committed to compliance with U.S. laws regarding workers’ right to unionize,” the company said in a statement. “Wal-Mart provides an environment of open communications and gives our associates every opportunity to express their ideas, comments and concerns. It is because of our efforts to foster such an environment that our associates have repeatedly rejected unionization attempts."The retail industry is also taking note of the report, with Retail Week doing a write-up on the release and findings.

Posted by Web Team on Tuesday, May 01, 2007

COMMENTS

“210-page report makes mention of Wal-Mart using an “arsenal of sophisticated tactics” - some of which Human Rights Watch says are illegal - to keep a lid on attempts at union organizing, thus “creating a climate of fear for its 1.3 million U.S. workers.””

First, it makes me wonder why the Human Rights Watch, is looking into union efforts!! Is joining a union really a “Human Right”? In my state, we have the “Right to Work” law, which was meant to say that people have more of a right to work, than a union does to organize them and force them into a union!! If it is true, that what Wal-Mart is doing, is “illegal” as stated, then why aren’t these issues being handled by the ‘Legal’ system?

““Wal-Mart workers have virtually no chance to organize because they’re up against unfair U.S. labor laws and a giant company that will do just about anything to keep unions out.””

Gee, now we have “UNFAIR U.S. labor laws”, isn’t it funny that the laws are ‘Fair’ when they favor the unions, but ‘unfair’ if they go against the union and favor the employer!! How come unions have rights, but employers don’t? How come, unions can promise the moon, but the employers can’t say they “Don’t want a union in”? Can you name ONE employer, that says it is ‘happy’ that their employees are being represented by a union? How many employees have been saying ‘We don’t want a union anymore’ and being decertified?

If Wal-Mart employees REALLY wanted a union, they would get one, but the fact that they “have repeatedly rejected unionization attempts”, appears to show a different view of things than the union would have you believe!!

Bob in
Tuesday, May 01 at 05:07 PM

“If Wal-Mart employees REALLY wanted a union, they would get one, but the fact that they “have repeatedly rejected unionization attempts”, appears to show a different view of things than the union would have you believe!!”

Bob in
Tuesday, May 01 at 06:07 PM